*[[Boxer:Jack Root:016477|Jack Root]]: the first manager of the Olympic. He was a former World Light-Heavyweight Champion.

*[[Boxer:Jack Root:016477|Jack Root]]: the first manager of the Olympic. He was a former World Light-Heavyweight Champion.

*[[Tom S. Andrews]]: the first matchmaker at the Olympic. He perhaps is better known for his [[T. S. Andrews World’s Sporting Annual Record Books|record books]].

*[[Tom S. Andrews]]: the first matchmaker at the Olympic. He perhaps is better known for his [[T. S. Andrews World’s Sporting Annual Record Books|record books]].

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*[[Joe Levy]]: Matchmaker at the Olympic from 1925 to early 1927 with another stint for a brief period in 1931. He managed [[Mexican Joe Rivers]] and served as a matchmaker or promoter at a number of other boxing venues as well.

+

*[[Joe Levy]]: Matchmaker at the Olympic from 1925 to early 1927. Also shared matchmaking duties with Wad Wadhams at the Olympic for a brief period in 1931. He managed [[Mexican Joe Rivers]] and served as a matchmaker or promoter at a number of other boxing venues as well.

Frank Garbutt: A prominent Los Angeles businessman who was a major driving force in the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the owner of the Olympic Auditorium for many decades.

Frank Garbutt: A prominent Los Angeles businessman who was a major driving force in the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the owner of the Olympic Auditorium for many decades.

*[[Jack Doyle]]: the promoter at the Olympic from early 1927 to 1933.

*[[Jack Doyle]]: the promoter at the Olympic from early 1927 to 1933.

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Wad Wadhams: the matchmaker at the Olympic from early 1927 to 1933.

+

Wad Wadhams: the matchmaker at the Olympic from early 1927 to 1933. Shared some of the matchmaking duties with Joe Levy for a brief period in 1931.

*[[Tom Gallery]]: promoted cards at the Olympic for awhile after Doyle. He was a boxing man who was involved in staging cards in Hollywood and San Francisco during the 1920s and the 1930s in addition to the Olympic. In addition, he was a network executive during television's early days.

*[[Tom Gallery]]: promoted cards at the Olympic for awhile after Doyle. He was a boxing man who was involved in staging cards in Hollywood and San Francisco during the 1920s and the 1930s in addition to the Olympic. In addition, he was a network executive during television's early days.

*[[Joe Waterman]]: a longtime boxing man who was the matchmake at the Olympic starting in 1935 with a great deal of success. Had several stints as the matchmaker at Olympic, the last one ending in 1942.

*[[Joe Waterman]]: a longtime boxing man who was the matchmake at the Olympic starting in 1935 with a great deal of success. Had several stints as the matchmaker at Olympic, the last one ending in 1942.

Line 16:

Line 16:

*[[Cal Eaton]]

*[[Cal Eaton]]

*[[Aileen Eaton]]

*[[Aileen Eaton]]

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Cal Working: was the matchmaker at the Olympic for a brief period from 1956 to 1957.

*[[George Parnassus]]

*[[George Parnassus]]

*[[Don Fraser]]

*[[Don Fraser]]

Revision as of 06:33, 20 March 2005

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Located at 1801 South Grand Avenue, the Olympic Auditorium opened in 1925. Its first boxing program was on August 5, 1925. Seating capacity 10,400 (although this included "standing-room only" patrons).

The many people associated with the Olympic include:

Jack Root: the first manager of the Olympic. He was a former World Light-Heavyweight Champion.

Joe Levy: Matchmaker at the Olympic from 1925 to early 1927. Also shared matchmaking duties with Wad Wadhams at the Olympic for a brief period in 1931. He managed Mexican Joe Rivers and served as a matchmaker or promoter at a number of other boxing venues as well.

Frank Garbutt: A prominent Los Angeles businessman who was a major driving force in the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the owner of the Olympic Auditorium for many decades.

Wad Wadhams: the matchmaker at the Olympic from early 1927 to 1933. Shared some of the matchmaking duties with Joe Levy for a brief period in 1931.

Tom Gallery: promoted cards at the Olympic for awhile after Doyle. He was a boxing man who was involved in staging cards in Hollywood and San Francisco during the 1920s and the 1930s in addition to the Olympic. In addition, he was a network executive during television's early days.

Joe Waterman: a longtime boxing man who was the matchmake at the Olympic starting in 1935 with a great deal of success. Had several stints as the matchmaker at Olympic, the last one ending in 1942.

Joe Lynch: staged cards at the Olympic during the early 1940s

Babe McCoy: the matchmaker at the Olympic from 1942 to the middle 1950s. He is regarded as the driving force at this famed arena during the period.

One of the most storied venues in boxing history, The Olympic Auditorium had weekly boxing shows during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, usually on Tuesday nights. It later shifted to Thursdays during the early-to-late 1950s. After the Hollywood Legion Stadium shut down in 1959, the Olympic's shows moved to Fridays and Saturdays, and ran continuously until 1980. The Olympic Auditorium ran spot shows during the early 1980s, before closing in the late 1980s, as it had lost much of its luster due to age and the decay of its surrounding neighborhood.

In the late 1980s, it was refurbished extensively and its seating capacity reduced. The famed arena reopened for Oscar De La Hoya's WBO Lightweight Title defense against John Avila in 1994. As of 2005, it still holds boxing shows, and is now known as the "Grand Olympic Auditorium."